Solenoid operated counting mechanism



Jan. 1.1, 1955 R. M. MAGNUSON ETA L SOLENOID OPERATED COUNTING MECHANISM Filed July 29, 1952 to power source s J m T H EN Maw M I4 a m 7 Z M pm W 3 5%: 7 RESQ .t tx w B m wvfi 0 6 A 4 g D S ATTORN EYS United States Patent Ofiice 2,699,291 Patented Jan. 11, 1955 SOLENOID ornnn'rnn COUNTING MECHANISM Roy M. Magnuson and Traver J. Smith, Santa Clara County, Calif; said Smith assignor to said Magnuson Application July 29, 1952, Serial No. 301,490

1 Claim. (Cl. 235-92) The present invention relates to article counting mechanism of the type comprising a plurality of orders of numeral mechanism, the lowest order of which is operated by an oscillating member for each article to be counted, and is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved gentle actuating means therefor to insure accurate counting and to avoid damage to the counter mechanism.

Conventional counter mechanism of the type commonly employed often employ frictional retaining means in the numeral mechanism which are subject to an undercount due to spinning the drive shaft in a sudden start, and are subject to an overcount by overturning of the numeral wheel due to a sudden abrupt stop. This condition is particularly true where a solenoid actuated counter is employed, particularly where the solenoid is of the rotary armature type. A rotary armature has a rotary actuating component and an axial movement accompanying such rotary actuating movement so that the actuating linkage therebetween must be flexible in this axial direction.

The present invention provides a solenoid actuated means having both a gentle starting and stopping action for operating the counter incorporating a desirable flexible connection to accommodate the required axial movement of the solenoid armature. The present invention also enables trouble-free accurate counting of the counter over a long life.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained as illustrated in the preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly schematic showing a counter and actuating means therefore together with a control circuit.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the linkage connec tion from the solenoid to the counter.

Figure 3 is a graph indicating characteristic timevelocity diagrams for a solenoid actuated counter.

Referring to Figure 1, the counting mechanism includes a counter of conventional construction which may be of the type known as Productimeter. The counter 10 has an oscillatory operating arm 11 carrying a pin 12 which receives one end of a tension spring 13, the other end of the spring being engaged over a threaded member of screw 14 which has threaded engagement with the coils of the spring. The screw 14 passes through the apertured operating shaft of a rotary solenoid 17. The spring arm 16 and the spring 13 are both capable of flexing transversely of their length, and the spring 13 can be elongated slightly to accommodate respective difierent lengths of oscillatory movement of the armature and the counter actuating arm. The actuating member is of the rotary solenoid type placed on the market under the trade name of Ledex and having a plurality of balls 21 which travel in suitable races under the thrust of a rotary armature 22. In order to provide gentle starting movement of this armature 22 a fly wheel or counter weight 23 is secured to the armature.

The solenoid is operated from a suitable source of low voltage, i. e., about 20 volts D. C., which is applied through a resistor 30 and a selected number of a series of resistors 31 to 35. From the resistor 32 a condenser 36 is connected to ground so as to receive a charge from the source of voltage, and is also connected to the coil 1% of the solenoid t7, the other terminal of the solenoid being connected through the normally open switch 37 to ground. T he resistance of the solenoid and the resistor 31 combined is such that insufiicient current is available to operate the solenoid 17. The condenser 36 accumulates a charge during the idle time, and, when the switch 37 is closed, the condenser 36 discharges through the solenoid coil and operates the solenoid. The action of the condenser in combination with the action of the fly-wheel is such that a gentle stopping action is obtained in addition to the gentle starting action provided by the fly-wheel.

Referring to Figure 3, time-velocity diagrams shown therein illustrate the operation of the apparatus. The diagram A of this figure shows a typical solenoid counter combination where a rapid acceleration is provided initially so that the counter is operated with increasing velocity until it reaches its positive stop indicated by the vertical line 40. Figure B shows the operation obtained by the addition of a fly-wheel or counter-weight to the armature where the initial acceleration is considerably slower and the abrupt stop indicated by the line 41 is reached after a longer operation with an easier start. In Figure 3C the combined operation of the fly-Wheel or counterweight and the condenser is illustrated, where the peak velocity of the curve is reached at about one-third of its stroke, i. e., after the condenser current decay (shown in dotted line) has reduced the condenser current to a small amount, and after a longer operating time the abrupt stop 42 is reached while only a small velocity still remains in the armature.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of variations and modification from the form shown, so it should be limited only by the scope of the claim appended hereto.

We claim:

The combination with a counter having an oscillatory operating member, an actuating solenoid therefor includlllg an armature having both an axial and an oscillatory movement, of a weight member on said armature, an operating circuit for said solenoid including a condenser whose accumulated operating charge applies the operating current for the solenoid, and a linkage connection between the armature of the solenoid and the oscillatory member of the counter, said linkage connection including a spring arm connected to and projecting radially from the axis of the armature and a tension spring connected between said spring arm and said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,003,414 Barrett Sept. 19, 1911 1,720,495 Steiner et a1. July 9, 1929 1,976,369 Platte Oct. 9, 1934 2,106,042 Stark Jan. 18, 1938 2,425,124 Ray Aug. 5, 1947 2,428,882 K011i Oct. 14, 1947 2,496,880 Leland Feb. 7, 1950 2,511,202 Fulboam June 13, 1950 2,534,544 Bush Dec. 19, 1950 2,611,535 London Sept. 23, 1952 2,613,873 Rich Oct. 14. 1952 

